VA Disability Rating Calculator
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Dependent status
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A more complete VA disability calculator
A VA disability calculator is only useful if it handles the rules that change the answer. This one follows the VA Combined Ratings Table, applies the bilateral factor for qualifying arms, legs, and paired skeletal muscles, rounds the final number the way the VA does, and shows an estimated monthly compensation amount using the current VA rate table.
It also shows the math. You can see the raw combined rating, the rounded rating, whether the bilateral factor was applied, each step that produced the result, and how dependent status changes monthly pay. That matters because small details can move a rating from 40% to 50%, or from 90% to 100%.
How VA combined ratings actually work
VA ratings do not add straight across. A 30% rating plus another 30% rating does not make 60%. The VA uses Table I, the Combined Ratings Table. Each new rating is combined with the current value in severity order.
Start at 100% efficient. A 30% rating leaves 70% efficiency. The next 30% rating applies to that remaining 70%, which removes another 21%. The raw combined value is 51%. The VA rounds that to 50%.
The math, step by step
Take three ratings: 60%, 30%, and 20%. The VA starts with the highest rating. A 60% rating leaves 40% efficiency. Then the 30% rating applies to that remaining 40%, which removes 12%. Now the raw combined value is 72%, and 28% efficiency remains.
The 72% combined value is then combined with the 20% rating in Table I. That table value is 78%. The VA rounds the final 78% to 80%.
The bilateral factor
The bilateral factor can apply when a veteran has compensable disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles. The VA combines those qualifying ratings first, adds 10% of that combined value, then combines the result with the rest of the ratings.
Example: a 20% right knee rating and a 20% left knee rating combine to 36%. The bilateral factor adds 3.6%, making that group 39.6%. Rounded at the end, that becomes a 40% combined rating.
Rounding
The VA rounds the final combined rating to the nearest 10%. A value below 45% rounds to 40%. A value of 45% rounds to 50%. The same rule applies all the way up the scale, so 95% rounds to 100%.
What your rating means in dollars
Monthly compensation depends on your combined rating and family details. The calculator uses the current VA disability compensation rates for the basic monthly amount, then adds qualifying amounts for additional dependent children and a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance when those fields apply.
Rates change. Pete shows the effective date in the result panel and links to the source table at VA.gov.
When the calculator cannot tell you the full story
This calculator handles the deterministic combined-rating math: the Combined Ratings Table, the bilateral factor, and final VA rounding. It does not choose diagnostic codes, decide whether symptoms are being rated twice, apply amputation-rule limits, decide staged effective dates, evaluate TDIU, calculate Special Monthly Compensation, or determine Permanent and Total status.
If your numbers raise any of those issues, discuss them with an accredited representative.
Common questions
Why isn't 50% + 50% equal to 100%?
The VA starts with the idea that a veteran is 100% efficient. A 50% rating removes half of that efficiency and leaves 50%. The next 50% rating applies to the remaining 50%, which removes another 25%. The raw combined value is 75%, and the VA rounds that to 80%.
Do 0% ratings count?
A 0% rating does not change the combined rating math. It can still matter because it confirms service connection for that condition.
What if I have more than one bilateral group?
The bilateral factor applies to qualifying disabilities of both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles before that group is combined with the rest of your ratings. This calculator groups qualifying bilateral disabilities together and shows the factor separately in the math breakdown.
Does the order I list my disabilities matter?
No. The VA combines ratings from highest to lowest. This calculator sorts the ratings before doing the math, so the final rating is the same no matter how you enter them.
What if my ratings include decimals?
VA disability ratings are assigned in 10% increments from 0% to 100%. The combined raw number can include decimals, but each individual rating should be a whole VA rating like 10%, 30%, or 70%.
Why does the VA round 45 up to 50?
Combined ratings are rounded to the nearest 10%. A value ending in 5 or higher rounds up. That means 44% rounds to 40%, but 45% rounds to 50%.
Does this calculator show monthly VA compensation?
Yes. After you enter at least one rating, the calculator estimates monthly compensation using the current VA rate table and the dependent status you select. The estimate does not include Special Monthly Compensation or other special allowances.